Quantum phase measurements and non-classical polarization states of light

Abstract

In our paper we consider the non-classical behaviour of both the Hermitian (observable) Stokes parameters of light and the phase difference of two modes that describe the quantum polarization states of optical field. To characterize the degree of polarization of light we introduce a new quantity taking into account the quantum properties of different quantum states of two orthogonally polarized modes. The problem of determination of the phase difference in two modes of optical field for the quantum polarization states of light is discussed. To describe in general such a quantum field we introduce two pairs of the phase operators: the phase angles for the Stokes parameters of light in a three-dimensional picture of the Poincaré sphere. We also consider a special type of the eight-port polarization interferometer (polarimeter) for simultaneous homodyne detection of both the Stokes parameters of light and the polarization phase operators and their fluctuations as well. Using an anisotropic (spatioperiodic) Kerr-like nonlinear medium associated with the polarization interferometer we could generate and also observe the polarization-squeezed phase states of light. The fluctuations in the phase difference between two orthogonally polarized modes for these non-classical states are less than the fluctuations for light in coherent state.     

Coherent States of a Harmonic Oscillator in a Finite-dimensional Hilbert Space and Their Squeezing Properties

Abstract

New coherent states of a harmonic oscillator in a finite-dimensional Fock space are introduced. Some properties of these coherent states are discussed. The second-order squeezing of these coherent states with respect to the quadrature operators is studied in detail. In particular, for a two-state system the arbitrary higher-order squeezing of these states is investigated. It is shown that these coherent states exhibit much richer squeezing properties than the coherent states of a usual harmonic oscillator in an infinite-dimensional Fock space. It is found that these coherent states have not only second-order squeezing but also higher-order squeezing with respect to the quadrature operators of the field under consideration.     

Squeezed-state Superpositions in a Damped Nonlinear Oscillator

Abstract

The effect of dissipation on squeezed-state superposition states, generated in a nonlinear oscillator is investigated. Our results are presented in terms of the Q-function and the marginal distributions for a class of Hermitian operators.     

Negative binomial states of the quantized radiation field

Abstract

Negative binomial states of a single field mode are introduced and their properties are compared with those of the (positive) binomial states. We find that the two types of state have similar properties if the roles of the creation and annihilation operators are interchanged.     

Thermal Coherent States and Thermal Squeezed States

Abstract

Various definitions of thermal coherent states and thermal squeezed states are compared and interrelated. Different ordering of squeezing, displacement and thermalizing operators is discussed in order to establish a relation between all definitions. A one-to-one correspondence is exhibited between general Gaussian density matrices in coordinate space and thermal squeezed states.     

Partial phase state as a nonlinear coherent state and some of its properties

Abstract

One introduces the phase state as a nonlinear coherent state. Some of its properties, such as the sub-Poissonian statistics, the squeezing effects, the phase properties in the Pegg-Barnett formalism and the quasiprobability function of the nonlinear coherent states, are calculated and discussed in this paper. The results show that the phase states are squeezed.     

Quantum Phase Angles and su(∞)

Abstract

The polar decomposition of the su(2) algebra leads to unitary phase operators which do not close to an algebra with the number operator. It is shown that phase and number operators can be embedded into a larger su(2j + 1) algebra with trigonometric structure constants. In the contraction limit where we pass from the su(2) to the oscillator algebra, the embedding algebra for the phase operators becomes su(∞). The coherent states realization of the su(∞) algebra and its relation to the q-deformed oscillator algebra is briefly discussed.     

Optical eigenmodes of a multilayered spherical microcavity

Abstract

The optical mode structure of a spherical microcavity has been investigated using a transfer matrix approach. We derive exact algebraic equations from which the frequencies of the optical eigenmodes of the two polarizations can be obtained, as well as approximate explicit algebraic expressions for those frequencies. The spatial variation of the electric field in the dipole mode is discussed. It is found that the electric field at the centre of a spherical microcavity is non-zero for only one optical eigenmode.     

Call for Papers

Abstract

We obtain expressions for the third-order nonlinearities responsible for degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) with folded boxcar geometry in an isotropic medium. The effects of various combinations of polarizations of the three input beams are also discussed.     

Phase distribution and superstructures on the phase correlation of copropagating electromagnetic fields

Abstract

The phase distribution and phase correlation of two initially coherent electromagnetic field modes copropagating through a lossless nonlinear medium are investigated. We show that the number of distinguishable components in the phase distribution depends on the set of nonlinear parameters through a simple relation and that it is connected with the number of entangled field states as well as the number of components that a single field state acquires after propagating through the medium. The phase correlation between the two field modes is shown to exhibit a rich pattern of collapses and revivals, similar to those observed in the quantum inversion of several generalizations of the Jaynes-Cummings model and is related to beats of the various eigenstates of the total Hamiltonian.     

Fock states generation in a kicked cavity with a nonlinear medium

Abstract

We discuss a model of a cavity filled with a passive nonlinear ?Kerr‘ medium and periodically kicked by a series of ultra-short laser pulses. The nonlinear medium is described by the (2q ? 1)th nonlinearity X ^(2q?1). We find analytical formulas describing the field states inside the cavity. We show that such a system can produce, depending on the order of the nonlinearity, superpositions of several Fock states with the small photon numbers (0,1; 0,1,2; etc). In particular, the one-photon state can be approached during the evolution of the system with X ⁽³⁾ nonlinearity provided the cavity losses are negligible. The purity of states generated in this process, however, can be seriously degraded by the cavity damping. We perform numerical calculations to validate our analytical results.     

Non-classical behaviour and switching in Kerr nonlinear couplers

Abstract

Directional nonlinear couplers composed of two Kerr nonlinear waveguides are studied. Quantum consistent solutions of the equations of motion are obtained showing the collapses and revivals of the field mode amplitudes. The approximate method is also adopted for the contradirectional geometry and the switching accompanied by collapses of the modes is revealed. Kerr couplers with varying linear coefficients are examined and possible controls of the switching of modes, for instance, digital switching and fast switching are demonstrated. The two-mode squeezing of vacuum fluctuations and the generation of pure states are shown.     

On the Squeezing of Coherent States by the Multiphoton Jaynes-Cummings Hamiltonian with an Intensity-dependent Coupling

Abstract

The squeezing properties of the multiphoton Hamiltonian with intensity-dependent coupling are evaluated for the [xcirc] and [pcirc] _x quadratures, for the initial state of a coherent electromagnetic field and an atom in the ground state. Two measures of squeezing: the percentage of total squeezing and the squeezing time-period percentage, are introduced. Interesting squeezing properties with respect to [xcirc] are observed for real coherent states when the time evolution of the above measures and of the time-averaged squeezing are analysed. The multiphoton intensity-dependent coupling Hamiltonian is found to be almost independent of the specific powers of the annihilation and creation operators, as long as the sum of the powers is kept constant.     

The Interaction of Displaced Number State and Squeezed Number State Fields with Two-level Atoms

Abstract

The time-evolution of a single two-level atom in a single-mode high-Q cavity is sensitive to the quantum fluctuations of the cavity radiation field and to its photon statistics: this sensitivity is realizable experimentally in the Rydberg atom micromaser. We study the effects of the interaction of a two-level atom with two new non-classical radiation fields: the squeezed number state and the displaced number state realizable by nonlinear and linear transformations of field number states which have an initially precise occupation number. The time-varying field fluctuations caused by the atomic interaction are described using the Q-function quasi-probability.     

Evolution of Coherent States in a Dispersionless Fibre with Saturable Nonlinearity and the Generation of Macroscopic Quantum-superposition States

Abstract

We study the evolution of a initially coherent state of an electromagnetic field propagating in a Kerr medium with saturable nonlinearity. By using the quantum phase distribution formalism, we analyse the dependence of the output signal phase configuration upon input field amplitude. We observe that the saturation of the nonlinear contribution of the refractive index of the propagation medium introduces interference effects that compromise the observation of macroscopically well distinguishable components of the output state. For input amplitudes much larger than a characteristic saturation amplitude the final state differs from the input state only by an overall phase shift. Possible relevance of the present results in the experimental search of Schrödinger cat-like states using semiconductor-doped glass optical fibres is discussed.     

Population trapping with quantized fields in two-channel models of atomic excitation

Abstract

In this paper, we study several models of two-channel atomic excitation involving quantized fields and search for field states that result in the trapping of the atomic population in a single bare state. This trapping is a result of quantum interference between the two channels. We study the following models: a two-level atom resonantly interacting with two quantized field modes, a two-level atom with competing one and three photon transitions, and a Raman coupled model containing both Stokes and anti-Stokes fields. We find a great variety of trapping states of the field, some of the states being highly non-classical. The effects of dissipation on the stability of the trapping states are discussed and a method for generating some of the states is presented.     

Generalized master equation for a two-level atom in a strong field and tailored reservoirs

Abstract

The generalized master equation for a two-level atom driven by a strong classical field and damped into a ‘tailored’ reservoir with a non-flat density of modes is derived under the Born-Markov approximation. To derive the master equation the dressing transformation on the atomic operators is performed first and next the dressed operators are coupled to the reservoir and the corresponding damping rates are calculated. The modifications introduced by a strong field and/or by the reservoir with the non-flat density of modes lead to non-standard terms in the master equation, some of which are reminiscent of terms known for squeezed vacuum reservoirs. The optical Bloch equations based on this generalized master equation are obtained and solved for the steady state. The solutions are discussed from the point of view of both bare and dressed atoms. Analytical formulas for the fluorescence and probe absorption spectra are obtained and illustrated graphically.     

Construction of deformed photon-added nonlinear coherent states with negative m for the one-mode field in a Kerr medium

In this paper, based on the nonlinear coherent states formalism and using the Hamiltonian for a single mode field in a Kerr medium, the deformed photon-added nonlinear coherent states with negative m corresponding to the nonharmonic oscillators are constructed. In addition, some of the nonclassical properties associated with these states such as the Mandel parameter, quadrature squeezing and second-order correlation function are investigated. It is found that the deformed photon-added nonlinear coherent states with negative m for the one-mode field in a Kerr medium are nonclassical states.     

High efficiency single photon detection via frequency up-conversion

Abstract

We propose a method of single photon detection of infrared (IR) photons at potentially higher efficiencies and lower noise than allowed by traditional IR band avalanche photodiodes (APDs). By up-converting the photon from the IR, e.g. 1550 nm, to a visible wavelength in a nonlinear crystal, we can utilize the much higher efficiency of silicon APDs at these wavelengths. We have used a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystal and a pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser to perform the up-conversion to a 631 nm photon. We observed conversion efficiencies as high as ～ 80%, and demonstrated scaling down to the single photon level while maintaining a background of 3 ×s; 10^?4 dark counts per count. We also propose a 2-crystal extension of this scheme, whereby orthogonal polarizations may be up-converted coherently, thus enabling complete quantum state transduction of arbitrary states.